Okay, so some of you will know that I'm a smoker who keeps trying to quit. And that I wanted some form of e-cigarette or vape pen, but could never afford the initial cost, especially if it wasn't guaranteed to stop me from buying normal cigarettes.

So, I have money now, but I have no idea about any of these new-fangled smoking thingies.

Anyone out there know what they're talking about when it comes to e-cigs or vapes?

I'm looking for one in the $50-100 range, one that will be reliable and hopefully with a few choices of what it looks like (though that last bit isn't that important).

Now... I also want to know roughly how much the refill cartridges are, how long they last, etc. I know I've been told this before, but for the life of me I can't recall where - and my search-fu is lacking.

Any help will be appreciated. Thanks in advance. :)

alleycat

02-26-2013, 05:35 AM

I don't have any personal knowledge, but I suspect you should put your money on something else.

I believe those things have been banned in Canada, and the US FDA wants to ban them here. They used to be advertised on TV a lot here, but I haven't seen an ad lately. The government might have made them pull the ads off TV, but I'm not sure.

The only one approved by the FDA here as an aid to stop smoking is one called Nicitrol, or something like that.

Cliff Face

02-26-2013, 05:39 AM

Hmm... Why have they been banned? Surely they can't be worse for you than normal cigarettes!

But if they get banned, then I won't be able to buy refills, so you're right - not worth the investment.

Anyone know anything more about this?

alleycat

02-26-2013, 05:45 AM

A serious question (one more for yourself than to answer here): Do you really, really, really want to quit, or would you just like to quit if there is something that can make it easy and painless?

I have a friend who used a prescription drug in combination with one of those Nicitrol things and it helped at lot. She would go a long time without smoking, but she could never quite get "over the hump".

Cliff Face

02-26-2013, 07:39 AM

Tough question, in a way, which I don't mind answering here.

I want to quit for a number of reasons. But when I try to quit, a part of me rears its ugly head and says, "Erm, I still want to smoke." So a part of me doesn't want to quit, which is why I haven't been able to manage it so far.

Which is why I wanted the e-cigs. A number of people here have said that using those, they've stopped buying normal cigarettes, and some have wound up getting off of nicotine entirely after not too long.

That part of me that doesn't want to quit would probably be happy with only smoking 2 or 3 a day... But the addiction is a bitch, so when I buy a new pack, I can't control myself and smoke my normal amount.

If I was down to 2 or 3 a day, I'd be significantly healthier, and my wallet would thank me profusely - the 2 reasons most of me wants to quit entirely.

Broadswordbabe

02-26-2013, 11:55 AM

I apologise if you've already tried it or this is not a way you wanted to go, but I'd highly recommend Alan Carr's "The only way to stop smoking." Worked for me - it was absolutely amazing. I haven't even wanted a cigarette in 11 years, from the moment I closed the book. And I was a heavy smoker, daughter of two smokers, and had smoked for over a decade. I did have to turn off my inner editor while reading the book, but the fact that it still worked even while I was wincing at some of the construction is probably pretty impressive in itself :) .

zarada

02-26-2013, 12:51 PM

i quit smoking normal cigs by using e-cigs in jan of 2012. I used them until about April, at which point, having quit coffee, I not longer had a craving for nicontine either. been cig and coffee-free ever since.

i highly recommend e-cigs, any kind you can find! at the time i became interested they were unfinadable where i live, and yes, banned, but somehow i managed... you can find a way!

my first taste was from disposable e-cigs, that's all i could find during a trip to london, and paid £10 a piece! then found some more disposables in amsterdam at 6 euros a piece, and finally managed to find some chinese cheapos where the filter was replaceable. at long last, got a good refillable brand off the internet with loads of extra flavors, just in time for me to quit altogether a month or so later...

why are they banned? guess who makes a huge profit from the sale of tobacco...?? :poke: guess who else??? yeah, it's not pretty, is it...

do as you wish, but do something! good luck!

Cliff Face

02-26-2013, 12:59 PM

Thanks Broad and Zarada.

I may have to check out that book, but I think I'll wait for more info before investing in an e-cig. I've considered getting a quit smoking book before, but never knew if they were any good.

*writes down name of book*

Chasing the Horizon

02-26-2013, 01:31 PM

I use e-cigarettes (though I still smoke too--I'm dedicated to inhaling nicotine in all possible ways). For the people who use them to quit smoking, it goes both ways, just like any other program or aid for quitting. It works for some and not for others.

Unfortunately, I can't recommend any brands, because all the companies I buy from are US-only. But I would recommend you go with a type that uses cartomizers instead of separate cartridges and atomizers. Because atomizers have limited life-spans, and the cartomizers are cheap and disposable, so when one dies you just toss it and put in a new one. I'm sure there are websites which review e-cig brands in Australia to help pick one. You should be able to get a basic starter kit for under $40, so, compared with the price of cigarettes, I don't see why you shouldn't try it.

And I don't know anything about bans which are more than just smoke Nazis blowing vapor out their asses. They sell e-cigs in the gas stations here now. But maybe it's different in Australia.

ETA: If money is one of your big concerns, you can switch to rolling your own cigarettes too. An electric rolling machine will make them just like pre-rolled cigarettes for less than half the cost per a pack. I've actually worked out how to roll my own cigarettes for $10 a carton (though you may not be able to do it that cheaply in Australia, there are (legal) ways around most of the cigarette taxes here in America).

Booker

02-26-2013, 06:38 PM

So you want to quit marijuana smoking as well? because if you're quitting you'd give it a full whack, i 'spose .

Cliff Face

02-27-2013, 01:27 AM

Chasing, the problem is that e-cigs aren't available in Australia - anywhere. Not chemists, not tobbaconists, not gas stations, not supermarkets - nowhere.

So I'd have to order them online. But thanks though. :)

(Oh, and I've tried rolling cigarettes to save money... I rolled them so thick I was spending the same amount. Whoops.)

And Booker - I don't smoke marijuana, so I don't need to quit it. ;)

illiterwrite

02-27-2013, 03:38 AM

I second the Allan Carr book, because it'll make you see smoking in a different light. Honestly, the only thing that helped me was Zyban (don't know what it's called over there), and I tried everything. I took it for about 4 weeks, less than the recommended amount, and that's all I needed.

Haggis

02-27-2013, 03:44 AM

You don't have to quit. Simply become a non-practicing smoker. It seems to work for me. That plus two or three weeks of the patches. After smoking for 40 plus years.

BradyH1861

02-27-2013, 03:46 AM

I stopped smoking on 11 May 2012. I'll be at my 1 year anniversary before too long. I had smoked for about 13 years....anywhere from 1 to 2 packs a day. I had tried the patch in the past and tried the gum. Neither worked.

I woke up that morning and decided I was done. I had half a pack that sat on my desk unsmoked for 6 weeks before I finally threw them out. I knew that if I could force myself to face that temptation daily, then I'd be okay.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss it. I could pick up a pack today and be right back to where I was before I quit. But I miss it a little less each day.

BardSkye

02-27-2013, 04:49 AM

I don't know where else in Canada they might be banned, but they're readily available in Calgary. Any smoke shop, gas station or pharmacy has them in kits, refills or disposables.

I use them when travelling, though they haven't really done anything towards stopping me smoking when I'm somewhere I can. I particularly like the apple and grape flavours.

Cliff Face

02-27-2013, 04:57 AM

So that's another vote for the book, which is definitely something I'll be looking into.

Haggis - non-practicing smoker? How does that work? *draws a blank*

Congrats Brady. :)

Bard, what do you think of the e-cigs? Like, *could* you smoke only them and not the normal ones if you tried? Or would it be just as bad as quitting?

Haggis

02-27-2013, 05:14 AM

Haggis - non-practicing smoker? How does that work? *draws a blank*

1. You don't smoke;

2. You don't have to deal with the angst that tells you you'll never, ever get to have another cigarette again.

3. 'cause, you know, it's not that you're not a smoker. It's just that you're non-practicing.

4. Okay. I'm easily fooled. Especially when I do it to myself.

But it's worked for 3 1/2 years, so I'm not knocking it.

Cliff Face

02-27-2013, 05:32 AM

Hmm... I'm not sure if that would work for me...

My brain is already telling me "I'm still a smoker" = "Have a damn cigarette RIGHT NOW!" :tongue Glad it worked for you, though.

Okay! So I ordered that book. Took some searching, though...

For anyone else's reference, it's "Allen Carr", not Alan or Allan. Though there appears to be another author by the name of Allan Carr (who doesn't care if I quit smoking or not).

So it'll be a few weeks before that arrives. Got it off The Book Depository, because they have an awesome selection and free shipping. But they're in England, so yeah - a few weeks to get it down here.

Mclesh

02-27-2013, 05:49 AM

Cliff, my husband, a long-time smoker, quit smoking a little over two years ago using vaporizers (e-cigs). His health began to improve almost immediately. Within a few days, he'd stopped coughing. I'd recommend them as a smoking cessation aid.

The issue, from what I understand, that makes people so uncomfortable is the ingredient proplyene (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propylene_glycol) glycol, which is in all sorts of products we use.

I do know that vaporizers don't contain the tar that cigarettes do, and there's not the carbon monoxide. The nicotine can be delivered in a range of levels or none at all.

If you're interested, I can get back to you on a brand my husband recommends. (He buys all of his supplies online.)

Cliff Face

02-27-2013, 06:26 AM

Ooh, thanks, yes.

Any information will help out. :)

Mclesh

02-27-2013, 11:06 AM

Cliff, from my husband: The look of the thing isn't as important as the type of juice you use; taste is very important. Also, you want something reliable that isn't going to stop working. This is what he recommends: buy an eGo clearomizer kit with two batteries (so that one battery will be charging while you're using the other one). The manufacturer is Joyetech. (Average list price here in the States is $50 to $60.)

Here's the Australian forum on e-cigs:
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/australia-new-zealand-forum/

Any questions, pm me. Steve (my husband) is an e-cig expert. :)

ArcticFox

02-27-2013, 11:11 AM

http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=247723

A thread I started about this a bit ago. I am an e-cig user. I post links on there. Hope that helps. I use a Joye ego-T.

Cliff Face

02-27-2013, 12:55 PM

Okay, thanks both. I don't have a lot of time right now to look at those pages, but I will do so later. :)

Cliff Face

02-28-2013, 04:50 AM

Curiously enough, I was at the shops today and decided to see what articles were in New Scientist this week. I used to buy that magazine every week.

Anyway, one of the cover articles was about e-cigs. I didn't read the whole thing, as it would've been a bit rude to read without buying. And I didn't have the money to buy the whole magazine.

But it seemed to be fairly pro-e-cigs. It mentioned in the first line that they were banned in some places, as AC mentioned upthread, and yeah. I'm kind of kicking myself for not buying it, actually... But I couldn't justify $8.50 for what would probably be only a few articles holding my interest.

Silver King

02-28-2013, 06:28 AM

Here's one way to quit smoking that is simple and will help wean you from the addiction instead of trying drugs or e-cigarettes or hypnosis or whatnot:

Say you smoke a pack of twenty cigarettes per day. Start each morning with a fresh pack and discard one cigarette the first day. The following day, discard two. The day after that, discard three and so on until by the twentieth day, you'll have smoked your last cigarette.

Sounds almost too simple to be true, but it works for some people who prefer to stop smoking gradually.

Cliff Face

02-28-2013, 06:54 AM

Mmm, I've heard that one before. And also the whole "smoke less of your cigarette each day until you're smoking none of it at all" thing.

My problem with those methods is my complete tight-arsedness. If I've spent money on a pack, I don't want to just throw them away or not smoke the whole cigarette.

*tries not to sound like he's being difficult*

I think with me, it really does come down to the fact that part of me doesn't want to quit. I can try to trick myself, but as soon as I'm really craving one, it'll go right out the window.

Booker

02-28-2013, 01:54 PM

You're one tough cookie Cliff Face. I wouldn't call it a 'tight-arsedness' it's just good economic decisions.

By the way have you tried this method http://i45.tinypic.com/9pnedi.jpg or this http://i50.tinypic.com/ojpfyo.jpg .

p.s.

There is the other method called 'reduce a pack by one cigarette daily hiding it from yourself and slap nicotine patches all over your skin therefore effectively becoming a non-practicing smoker'.

I wonder that no one mentioned it before!?

Cliff Face

03-01-2013, 02:47 AM

Actually, I've tried the nicotine patches...

I have moles all over my body. Pretty much no matter where I put the patch, it'll be over at least 1 mole. And the mole that was under the patch I tried turned pre-cancerous about a week later.

So I do not trust patches.

(And for what it's worth, the "scare people into quitting" thing doesn't work on me either. Addiction isn't rational.)

Booker

03-02-2013, 11:46 AM

I might start smoking myself too, Cliff.

Randomly reading on smokes I've come across the facts that surprised me quite a lot. It's a stimulant.

You see, nicotine actually isn't that bad. As a matter of fact this chemical improves short term memory and concentration and also boost the mood and also gives you a sense of well-being.

And I'm desperately in need of aaaaall of the above.Now you need to help me find cigarettes with the highest dosage of nicotine in them.

E.T.A.
I've just read that Peter Harvey died. I'm so sad.

Cliff Face

03-02-2013, 12:58 PM

Yup, nicotine can improve moods. But the other chemicals in cigarettes are, well, no good.

If you do start smoking, I'd suggest an e-cigarette. Nicotine without the rest of the stuff. And cheaper. :)

BardSkye

03-03-2013, 01:57 AM

Bard, what do you think of the e-cigs? Like, *could* you smoke only them and not the normal ones if you tried? Or would it be just as bad as quitting?

The ones I have (Smoke NV) don't have any nicotine or chemicals in them. They're basically just flavoured water vapour. I think if they had the nicotine I could smoke just them, but as it is, they're good for cutting down on chain-smoking (habit or boredom), but pretty much useless for cutting down actual nicotine cravings.

Cliff Face

03-03-2013, 02:22 AM

Oh, okay, thanks. Yeah, I'd have to get ones with nicotine in them.

I've bookmarked some links, but have yet to really investigate which e-cig I want. I'm going to wait until I've paid for my Uni books before I know how much I can justify spending.

ArcticFox

03-03-2013, 02:42 AM

If you have any questions about them send me a private message! I have been using them for a few years now. There is also a forum I used when I was first starting.

http://www.vapersforum.com

It's really great for research and asking questions.

Cliff Face

03-03-2013, 03:28 AM

Okay, thanks. I've bookmarked that link.

I'm swamped with other stuff to do, so it'll be probably a few days before I get a chance to really investigate brands and flavours and stuff.

Goldenleaves

03-03-2013, 04:11 AM

You sound pretty addicted, almost as bad as I used to be. IMO the trick to stopping smoking is to really really want to. My body used to march right on out, buy tobacco and happily smoke it without my permission. It was bad I wasn't able to imagine life without a cigarette. Started the habit at eleven, over forty years ago. I wish you luck, whatever method you choose.

Stopping for me was weird (gave a date when I wanted to stop to the people in my church , maybe they prayed for me or something) I actually managed to stop that day. I've no idea how it happened but I seriously never want to touch a cigarette again. I gained weight, but that didn't annoy me as much as needing a cigarette.

I'm perfectly happy being around other people smoking, no cravings or anything. I just don't want to do it ever again.

For me, hating it seems to be the key.

Booker

03-16-2013, 11:56 AM

What's goin on?

Cliff Face

03-17-2013, 03:30 AM

Been reading that Stop Smoking book on and off for the past week. Unfortunately I have a tonne of reading to do for Uni, which has recently started back, so I don't have a lot of time to read the book.

But I'm going to give the book a try before buying an e-cig. It's already sort of getting in my head, which I guess is a good sign.

Booker

03-18-2013, 11:12 AM

Don't worry You don't have to read those books It's a waste of time.

Once a smoker always a smoker there's no cure for it and I started smoking....again.

Cliff Face

04-12-2013, 03:18 AM

Sorry to revive the dead thread, but I have one more question...

I've finally decided to buy a Vaper, and checked out Joyetech's page, and found the 510 - which is in my price range - here. (http://www.joyetech.com/product/details.php?gno=9)

So... I was just wondering...

1. Is this a decent vaper for the price?
2. I'm a newbie with this, so is it just the new cartridges I'll need to buy once I have the actual Vaper? As in, if I run out of juice and want to keep smoking it, do I just buy some new cartridges, or is it more than that?
3. Is the contents of the kit all I really need to get started? I know someone mentioned getting 2 batteries so one is always charging... And the kit includes 2 batteries.

Any other comments? ($50 is the most I'm able to spend right now.)

In other news, I read the Allen Carr book, and it didn't help. So yeah. On to the Vapers!

ArcticFox

04-12-2013, 06:14 AM

Hi! I have one of these of my own. It was my first vape. To answer your questions...

1) Yes, that is a very good brand for the price.

2) Yeah, at first you will just have to buy new cartridges. Eventually, your atomizer will burn out and your battery will not charge anymore. However, my batteries and atomizers have lasted me about three years and you get two of each in the kit. Not bad for fifty dollars! When they go bad you can just buy new ones from the site. They aren't badly priced.

Cartridges you change out more frequently. When the cartridge starts to taste a bit metallic you know you need to change the cartridge and start using a new one. Mine lasted me about two weeks. You get five in the kit so it was three months before I had to buy new ones. Your mileage may vary based on how heavy you vape. Be sure to look into flavored juices too! Those are ready made cartridges in the kit. They also have the refillable kind which is even more price savvy. You put the juice into the cartridge itself instead of just buying disposables.

3) Yes, that is really all you need. It comes with five cartridges, two atomizers, two batteries and a charger which you can either plug into the wall or a usb port. That should be more than enough to get you started. Your e-cig will consist of a battery, atomizer, and cartridge. The batteries will come fully charged. The LED light on the ecig will blink and then go out when it is time to charge it. Keep one charged at all times and use the other.

I hope that helps and isn't too confusing. This was my first brand. I hope you love vaping as much as I do. It helped me quit just like that. I can answer more questions or clarify if you need me to. I can even take pictures of what I mean with my own 510. Best of luck.

Cliff Face

04-12-2013, 07:41 AM

Oh, awesome, thanks. :) A single cartridge lasts 2 weeks?!

Jesus, even if I'm a heavier smoker than you, I saw the prices of a pack of 5 cartridges was like $3! So basically I'd be spending less than the price of a coffee for an entire month, as opposed to about $300 a month on actual cigarettes.

!!!!!

*going to have to buy that now*

Cliff Face

04-12-2013, 07:42 AM

Oh, and for reference: A pack of 40 cigarettes in Australia is presently above $20 per pack. Egads!

One last question: Is there an instruction manual that comes with the pack? I don't recall seeing that listed...

Cliff Face

04-12-2013, 08:48 AM

Okay, so I had to order the kit from an Australian company because I couldn't get them on the page I linked to...

Only, apparently it's illegal to sell nicotine-including juice here, so the kit comes with 0mg nicotine for the cartridges. Poo.

And I tried finding somewhere online to buy the nicotine stuff, and the first place wanted to charge over $20 for shipping on a $4 item... And I couldn't elect anything other than Priority International Shipping...

So I spent about 10 minutes searching in vain for a different place to buy it from, and had no luck.

So I guess I'll have to try out the 0mg stuff, see if that is acceptable, otherwise it'll mean searching again for the leaded stuff (or paying $20 in shipping!).

ArcticFox

04-12-2013, 08:50 AM

Mine did come with a manual.

Yeah, one would last me two weeks, but let's say you go through a five pack in a week. That's like a cartridge a day. You would STILL only be spending $12 a month. No matter how you slice it you are saving money. Even if you use more than that you won't spend more than $20 per month for cartridges.

Did you order it with nicotine? They have different levels, and you may need to try different levels to find the right level of nicotine for you.

ETA: Never mind I saw your next post. I have plenty here with nicotine in it. I use the light stuff. Currently, I have 8mg and 12mg nicotine. If you don't mind giving me your address in a pm I can send some flavored nicotine stuff to try out. I can even send you some cartridges for it, because you wouldn't be able to put it in the pre-loaded ones.

Cliff Face

04-12-2013, 08:53 AM

Did you order it with nicotine? They have different levels, and you may need to try different levels to find the right level of nicotine for you.

See above post about Australia's illegality poo-ness.

If I could find a place online that would let me select slow (cheap) shipping, that'd be alright... But yeah. $20 for a $4 item!

ArcticFox

04-12-2013, 08:59 AM

See my ETA above. I can send you some just to try.

Cliff Face

04-12-2013, 09:16 AM

Oh, okay, I'll keep that in mind. :)

I think I may go back to that site and see if I can fenagle a better ratio of item cost to shipping cost.

Like, that amount of shipping might not be so bad if I was buying more product, y'know?

ArcticFox

04-12-2013, 09:21 AM

You might also go to that forum I mentioned above and ask there. I am sure there are Australian vapers there, and they probably have workarounds.

Cliff Face

04-12-2013, 09:24 AM

Oh, of course! I forgot about that! I have a link to an Australia/New Zealand ecigarette forum. I may have to ask around on there.

Thanks for reminding me. :)

Chrissy

04-24-2013, 08:05 PM

I was looking for the JB thread and happened to see this one. I'm so glad I did, because I too had questions about the e-cig (which I'm actually already using) and this thread was super helpful.

How's it going Cliff?

I've had one regular cigarette today (It's noon) and it was the last one in the pack. I am 99% sure I'm not going to buy another pack at all.

It was very gradual for me. I liked the-cig right off the bat, but not enough to "only" use it. Now I like the e-cig better. It doesn't stink, it's clean, no ashes, no having to go outside to smoke.

It's actually freakin' brilliant.

I really hope it doesn't kill me. :D

Spiral

04-24-2013, 08:15 PM

I was going to second the book recommendation, but then I saw that it had already been seconded and thirded. I read it a year or two ago, and while I relapsed that time, I am currently on day 7 of not smoking. I just decided to do it without any aids, although my friend is in the middle of the "smoke x less each day" method.

Good luck to all of us who are trying, no matter what method they are using!

U2Girl

04-25-2013, 02:30 AM

Longstoryshort - Nasty head cold last Aug had me not smoking for five days. I was a half pack a day smoker. While I couldn't quite quit cold turkey, the E cigs are definitly helping me for those moments when EVERYONE MUST DIE AND I HATE EVERY BODY. ahem.

No really, I have finally given up the real smokes and am slowly weaning myself off the Ecigs.

While I would not recommend getting sick to quit, it was what did it for me. Good luck to anyone trying to kick this habit.

Cliff Face

04-25-2013, 03:18 AM

I've had the ecig for a little while now, and I've managed to cut back on the real cigarettes.

Like, I've gone from about 22-25 per day down to about 17 per day. Problem is, I can't get the ecig juice with nicotine in it down here (unless I pay massive shipping costs to get it from overseas) so I'm having to trick my mind... Like, "Oh, I want a smoke, but I had one not long ago... I'll smoke the ecig... Ah, that will get me through to when it's reasonable to smoke the real ones again."

It satisfies some of the cravings, but not the nicotine one. Blah.

Anyway, I'm cutting down, which is good.

ArcticFox

04-25-2013, 05:33 AM

I bet if you can get some nic stuff your world will open up. It does make a difference, and then if you really want to get off the nicotine too you can gradually start backing off the amount of nic in the juice.

Cliff Face

04-25-2013, 05:35 AM

Yeah, that is the plan, eventually. Right now, I'm focussing on saving *some* money from cutting back so that I can justify the horrendous shipping costs.

Although I still need to check out that Aussie forum to see if there's any cheaper way of getting it... Been too busy lately to check it.

Chrissy

04-25-2013, 05:57 AM

.....Problem is, I can't get the ecig juice with nicotine in it down here (unless I pay massive shipping costs to get it from overseas)....God, I just have to say that that is total bullshit. :( WTH?

But good job anyway, with how you're managing/substituting.

Cliff Face

04-25-2013, 07:31 AM

Yeah, it's pretty stupid. I guess the government gets too much money from the tobacco companies to sell alternatives?

Which makes sense, really... They've put the price up so much the past year or two. I've gone from paying $15 per pack to $23 per pack! So the government is definitely making a lot of money from the tobacco companies.

Yet at the same time, they're putting a lot of money into ads to scare people into quitting, and forcing the packs to be "plain packaging" so there's no shiny logos or anything, just a picture of a diseased lung or eye or whatever.

Bah!

Spiral

04-25-2013, 11:23 PM

Yeah, it's pretty stupid. I guess the government gets too much money from the tobacco companies to sell alternatives?

Which makes sense, really... They've put the price up so much the past year or two. I've gone from paying $15 per pack to $23 per pack! So the government is definitely making a lot of money from the tobacco companies.

Yet at the same time, they're putting a lot of money into ads to scare people into quitting, and forcing the packs to be "plain packaging" so there's no shiny logos or anything, just a picture of a diseased lung or eye or whatever.

Bah!

Holy! I thought they were expensive here, at about $12 a pack!

Good for you for cutting down. You gotta start somewhere!

Cliff Face

04-26-2013, 09:49 AM

Thanks. :)

The packs I buy for $21.50 - $23.50 (depending on which shop I get them for) are packs of 40, which doesn't sound as horrendous - but honestly, this is the cheapest way of buying nicotine there is here.

A friend of mine bought a 30gm pouch of rolling tobacco, and it cost her $50 apparently, which is ludicrous. Not sure what brand, but yeah - that's bad.

Booker

05-13-2013, 10:30 AM

How are you coping Cliff?

Cliff Face

05-13-2013, 01:43 PM

Still smoking, but I've not tried using *just* the ecig yet. That will have to wait till I've finished the Uni semester and have no more classes or homework (and thus less stress).

Booker

05-19-2013, 10:35 AM

Stress kills!

That's it. I'm taking up smoking for real. Any pussy can quit but it takes a real man to cheat cancer.

Chrissy

06-06-2013, 05:46 AM

Reviving this thread to report that I've switched completely from cigarettes to e-cigarettes (vaping) for almost two months now.

On my walk today, for the first time in YEARS, I actually ran. Not very far, but it felt amazing. My lungs felt amazing. I didn't cramp, I didn't feel like I was gonna puke. I could BREATHE, and those deep breaths were exhilarating.

I'm so thankful for the e-cigarette alternative. I wish it for all smokers. It's amazing. :)

Cliff Face

06-06-2013, 11:37 AM

Good to hear! :D

I've got about 3 weeks left of this semester, at which point I plan on trying just e-cigs. It might be tricky, as we can't get ones with nicotine in them down here (unless I pay ludicrous shipping from overseas - like $25 for a $4 item!) so it'll be essentially cold-turkey but with the ability to breathe in vapour and pretend I'm smoking.

I imagine it's going to suck, but not as bad as if I didn't have the e-cig at all.

Chrissy

06-06-2013, 06:46 PM

Good luck, Cliff!

Don't they sell nicotine patches or gum down there? Or can you get a doctor to prescribe a patch that weans you off gradually? That plus e-cig would be perfect, methinks.

FluffBunny

06-07-2013, 12:08 AM

You honestly can do this, you know? You can. You say you’re “tight-fisted”--sit down and figure out how much the smokes are costing you. What is it costing per day/week/month/year? Are you having to wash clothes or clean household stuff more frequently because of the smoke? How much is that costing you? How much more wear and tear will that extra cleaning cause necessitating faster replacement and what will that cost you?

Are there people who care about you? Spouse? Significant other? Friends? Family? If you won’t or can’t do it for yourself, do it for them. I’m going to type this next part in white because it involves death and might be triggery:

Not to get all maudlin on you, but my Dad died of COPD/emphysema brought on by years of smoking. A man who would have done *anything* for his kids, a guy tougher than nails, an ex-Marine who worked on the railroad for much of his life, reduced to a shriveled husk, intubated, a vegetable, in a hospital bed. My brothers and I were forced to make the decision to pull the plug. I don’t ever, ever want to be in that position again. He would’ve never wanted to put us in that position, but that’s where cigarettes put all of us.

I’m not trying to pull the, “My Daddy died so you have to listen to me” crap card here. I’m not. What I’m saying is is that if you can’t do it for you, maybe you can do it for someone else. Sometimes doing something unpleasant or going the extra mile is easier if you can think, “I’m doing this for so-and-so as well as for myself.” Don’t put someone in the position of watching you die or deciding that it’s time to let you go.

You. can. do. this.

If needs be and it’ll help, I’ll go mug a cheerleader, and wear the outfit and pom-pons to cheer you on. :)

Mclesh

06-07-2013, 09:30 AM

Reviving this thread to report that I've switched completely from cigarettes to e-cigarettes (vaping) for almost two months now.

On my walk today, for the first time in YEARS, I actually ran. Not very far, but it felt amazing. My lungs felt amazing. I didn't cramp, I didn't feel like I was gonna puke. I could BREATHE, and those deep breaths were exhilarating.

I'm so thankful for the e-cigarette alternative. I wish it for all smokers. It's amazing. :)

Chrissy, I'm so glad to hear this! My husband has been vaping for almost two years--hasn't had a single analog (cigarette) in that whole time. He was a pack to pack and a half a day smoker for years. I didn't think he'd ever quit. I recommend them to anyone who wants to quit smoking.

Lurosa

06-07-2013, 10:29 AM

Good to hear! :D

I've got about 3 weeks left of this semester, at which point I plan on trying just e-cigs. It might be tricky, as we can't get ones with nicotine in them down here (unless I pay ludicrous shipping from overseas - like $25 for a $4 item!) so it'll be essentially cold-turkey but with the ability to breathe in vapour and pretend I'm smoking.

I imagine it's going to suck, but not as bad as if I didn't have the e-cig at all.

We have a drug here called Zyban that works well. It was originally developed as an anti-depressant, but after the tests failed, they found that all subjects had stopped smoking.

It actually "detoxifies" the thingy in your brain that has a party every time you lite a cigarette. It is a three month course of meds, requiring cold turkey after month one. As any medication, it works as well as your decision to stop. However, this does definitely take the edge off.

I stopped for two years after taking this. Unfortunately, being weak, I have started again and need another prescription. It worked well for me.

Dunno if you can get it where you are. I think they call it Bupropian or Wellburton in Aus/Nz. You need medical consent though as there have been cases of side effects. These cases were in patients that had high risk areas anyway. Speak to doc...

Lurosa

06-07-2013, 10:34 AM

http://www.zybanaustralia.com/

Chrissy

06-07-2013, 06:51 PM

Chrissy, I'm so glad to hear this! My husband has been vaping for almost two years--hasn't had a single analog (cigarette) in that whole time. He was a pack to pack and a half a day smoker for years. I didn't think he'd ever quit. I recommend them to anyone who wants to quit smoking.
Thanks Mclesh! I agree. I was 1-1/2 packs a day as well for 25 years.

I have already on occasion been "stuck" without an e-cigarette for whatever reason (battery died, cartridge ran out, and I was away from home) and the very thought of buying a regular pack of cigarettes to "tide me over" was like... oh hell no. I'll wait. Those things are so gross!

I'm the antithesis of a salesperson, in fact I really can't stand anyone trying to sell me anything, but the e-cig is a product I believe in so much I could really start sounding obnoxious about it. :D

Mclesh

06-07-2013, 07:09 PM

Thanks Mclesh! I agree. I was 1-1/2 packs a day as well for 25 years.

I have already on occasion been "stuck" without an e-cigarette for whatever reason (battery died, cartridge ran out, and I was away from home) and the very thought of buying a regular pack of cigarettes to "tide me over" was like... oh hell no. I'll wait. Those things are so gross!

I'm the antithesis of a salesperson, in fact I really can't stand anyone trying to sell me anything, but the e-cig is a product I believe in so much I could really start sounding obnoxious about it. :D

My husband is the same way. He's an e-cig evangelist now.:D He's given a couple of starter packs to some of our long-term smoking friends.

Within days of him giving up the cigs and switching to e-cigs, I noticed his morning cough had gone away. It was amazing.

Chrissy

06-07-2013, 07:36 PM

Yup! No more cough, and the deep breaths are just... I can sit for long periods of time simply being amazed at the volume and depth of air flowing through my lungs. :)

ArcticFox

06-08-2013, 09:12 AM

Glad to see you found your way, Chrissy!

To make sure I am never left without I always pack a little pouch of supplies. There are also car chargers for batteries.

Chrissy

06-09-2013, 03:25 AM

Thanks AF! And may I thank you in public for your help along the way. :heart: Folks, if you have any questions, you can PM ArcticFox, even relentlessly, and she will not give up on you. :D

(And yup, I got the car charger. Brilliant. :))

DianeMcCormick

06-10-2013, 06:42 AM

Hey, I vape, too, and I love it! Have you gone on ECF? There's other Australians on there, too, and they might be able to help you with the ins and outs.

I've been at it since February, and I adore it. One thing that you might want to try if you can't get juice: some folks slap on a patch for the nicotine and vape 0 nic to get the smoking sensation. So, nic and something to do with your hands so you don't feel like you've quit. Ta-da!

I still have a smoke from time to time, but I'm vaping full-time, and I've enjoyed the health benefits tremendously!

Cliff Face

06-10-2013, 12:02 PM

I'm wary of the patches. I wore one once when I was trying to quit (the attempt failed) and a few days later I noticed a mole in that exact spot had turned black. Turns out it was pre-cancerous and had to be cut out.

And I have moles everywhere. *sigh* Eh, I'll figure something out.

Reziac

09-21-2013, 09:27 AM

This might be of interest:

http://theskinner.blogspot.com/2013/09/day-50-of-not-smoking.html

I'm wondering about your moles, in light of what he says about his rosacea.

Cliff Face

09-21-2013, 09:41 AM

Well, I've always had lots of moles growing up, long before I started smoking, so I'm not sure if it's applicable. But thanks. :)

And since this thread has been resurrected, I thought I'd just share that I've bought some 8mg nicotine juice and have been transitioning over to the ecig instead of the normal ones. This is only a recent development, so basically I'm still smoking a fair few of the normal ones...

But I did some vague maths, and worked out that I'm saving about 50c each time I use the ecig instead of a normal one. I got the juice relatively cheap, and bought in bulk which cut down on the shipping factor. So I've estimated that it only costs me about 5c to have a 4-minute puff on the ecig, whereas the cost of actual cigarettes here is, at their cheapest, about 55c per cigarette.

In the past 4 or 5 days, then, I've saved probably about $9 or $10 - about 20 uses of the ecig - which is a step in the right direction. :)

So yeah, I'm slowly getting there. There are still times when I can't bring myself to NOT have a normal one, which is all psychological, and usually once I've had a normal one, I have another couple before getting back to the ecig. Though it was also working the other way - on the first day of really giving it a shot, I used the ecig for about 4 hours instead of the normal ones.

So yes... Progress, and stuff. The 8mg nicotine juice is much better than the 0mg stuff. Like, the desire to use the ecig is growing, whereas with the 0mg stuff that desire dissipated pretty quickly.

Reziac

09-21-2013, 06:05 PM

If you were exposed to smoke growing up... who knows. The fact that you had a mole go rotten from such brief concentrated exposure to an irritant... :eek: ...gotta wonder if the everyday exposure of smoking is making 'em so sensitive.

Dunno if you've tried this, but a dieter's trick that might be useful: when you feel the urge for the real thing, drink a whole glass of water, then thoroughly brush your teeth. Sometimes the urge is just "need to be doing something with your mouth" plus a little dehydration and lingering "taste in the mouth".

Cliff Face

09-22-2013, 12:56 AM

Well, that's where the ecig should be coming in. I'm trying to not feel like I'm going long stretches of time without nicotine. Like, if I had a glass of water 3 times in a few hours instead of a cigarette, I'd be going bonkers thinking about having a cigarette. But if I smoke the ecig instead, then my mental comfort stays about the same - which is key for me.

I don't think there are any "easy" solutions here, but the ecig with 8mg nicotine juice is the best option I've found so far - even if it's not perfect.

James81

09-23-2013, 04:22 AM

I went from a pack a day to making a pack last about four days with ecigs. Some days I don't smoke at all.

If you want a good starter kit google the ego C twist batteries and then get cartomizers. A cartomizer supposedly lasts a month but I swap them out every two weeks. For liquid experiment with different flavors.

As far as mixes, I get the PG/VG ratio as 50/50, 24 mg of nicotine (less if you smoke less) and a 15 mL bottle lasts me about two weeks. Theres certainly a learning curve but thers are a ton of youtube vids out there about them. I usually have to refill my cartomizer with juice every other day and I vape pretty heavily.

Any other questions just ask. Definitely a LOT healthier than cigs. Currently every study done says they are safe and that there is little to no affect on your lungs.

Also I know many people who quit using them and they just keep lowering the nicotine levels in their juice until there is zero nicotine.

jjdebenedictis

09-23-2013, 05:19 AM

Definitely a LOT healthier than cigs. Currently every study done says they are safe and that there is little to no affect on your lungs.I've got a question, as someone who is geeky to be curious about all this--is nicotine safe, all on its own? I.e. is it all the burnt plant matter and added chemicals that are carcinogenic? (I would guess those are at least part of the problem; even burnt toast is slightly carcinogenic.)

Also, and this might be a question for someone with some medical knowledge--I understand that cigarettes reduce blood flow to the skin for several hours after you have them. For example, people who get skin grafts can't smoke at all while they're healing for fear of killing the grafts. Do you know if it's the nicotine responsible for that effect?

Cliff Face

09-23-2013, 05:45 AM

No idea, jj.

Thanks, James. :)

Reziac

09-23-2013, 06:39 AM

I've got a question, as someone who is geeky to be curious about all this--is nicotine safe, all on its own? I.e. is it all the burnt plant matter and added chemicals that are carcinogenic? (I would guess those are at least part of the problem; even burnt toast is slightly carcinogenic.)

Yes, it's mostly the tars and various ring-carbon compounds and other burning byproducts that are carcinogens (probably boils down to being chronic irritants).

Also, and this might be a question for someone with some medical knowledge--I understand that cigarettes reduce blood flow to the skin for several hours after you have them. For example, people who get skin grafts can't smoke at all while they're healing for fear of killing the grafts. Do you know if it's the nicotine responsible for that effect?

At a guess, because one of the net effects of smoking is vasoconstriction, probably not the best when the hapless grafted skin is already gasping for blood, so to speak.

Also, this from one of the links above:

Hematologic side effects have included increases in platelet aggregation and enhanced thrombus formation.

So, increased risk of clots, not what you'd want when you're trying to grow new capillaries.

jjdebenedictis

09-23-2013, 08:29 AM

Thanks, Reziac; that Wikipedia article was particularly fascinating. Short puffs of a cigarette act as a stimulant, but long puffs act as a relaxant? Weirdly awesome and awesomely weird! :D

Reziac

09-23-2013, 09:03 AM

Valium too -- normal dose is a relaxant, but a very small dose acts as a stimulant.

BardSkye

09-26-2013, 11:36 PM

The mall close to me just opened a vape booth with nicotine liquid. E-cigs are available at practically every pharmacy and gas station, but are all zero nicotine, which I found doesn't really do anything towards helping me cut down. A friend said she'd had good luck with swapping every third real cigarette with the vape and gradually cutting out the real ones, so I'm going to give it a try.

It'll certainly help while waiting around airports, or when it's -30 outside.